


Offline

by akire_yta



Series: prompt ficlets [389]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-09-10 17:46:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8926456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akire_yta/pseuds/akire_yta
Summary: tumblr anon prompt: Gordon losing comms during a rescue and having to finish the rescue without contact with his brothers.I went sideways (zoom zoom)





	1. Chapter 1

Scott was livid; Gordon was pretty sure he could _see_  his blood pressure rising.  “You shut off comms.”

Gordon nodded.  “You were a distraction.  I identified a flight hazard and removed it.”

If anything, Gordon’s matter of fact tone was fanning the flames.  “I am in charge, Gordon.  If I give you orders, it’s for the good of the mission, to get everyone home….”

“But you weren’t there, Scotty,” Gordon snarked.  He knew he should stop, but he couldn’t seem to make his mouth shut up.  “You weren’t there, and I made the call, and you kept trying to do it your way that wasn’t going to work, and you were creating more hazards than you were solving so I _shut you up_.”

Scott’s jaw snapped shut, and Gordon was sure he could hear an audible grinding noise.  “You don’t break contact with us,” Scott finally said, quiet, eyes locking with Gordon’s.  “Ever.  Okay?”

“Don’t give stupid commands and I won’t have to,” Gordon snapped back.

Scott sighed, like he was physically willing himself to unclench.  “We thought we’d lost you,” he admitted.  “When you shut off comms, you shut off _all_  comms.  Including telemetry.  John couldn’t see you, we couldn’t raise you, you were too deep for any of us to come after you.”  Scott winced, eyes closed.  “It was like dad all over again.”

Gordon’s stomach dropped out of his boots, his anger turning to ice in his veins.  “Crap,” he muttered.  “I’m sorry.”

Scott laughed, brief and bitter.  “But that won’t stop you from doing it again, right?”

Gordon risked a step closer, rested his hand on Scott’s bicep.  He could feel the little tics and tremors of muscle being held clenched too tight.  “Not if you trust me when I say I can see a better way.  You’re the best at going fast, Scotty, but down there, you need to consider all the options, even if the clock is ticking.”

“I do trust you,” Scott said, and Gordon believed him.  “I just…”

“You’re Scott,” Gordon finished with a shrug.  “It’s what you do. Tell you what, we need a code.”

“A code?” Scott asked, one eyebrow lifting.

Gordon grinned, feeling the mood shift and lighten.  “Yeah.  The next time on comms you hear me say ‘Scotty, unclench,’ I want you to remember this conversation, remember that you trust me, actually unclench, and shut up.”

Scott burst out laughing.  “Fine, whatever.  I’ll try.”

Gordon punched him lightly on the arm.  “Good enough for me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anon requested: You know that prompt you had about Gordon losing comms, the, "Scotty, unclench," one? Could you write something where Gordon has to tell Scott that?

“Scotty, _unclench_.”

Like the words were a spell, Scott realized he was grinding his teeth, hands like claws around the controls of One.  Over the comms, he heard Virgil’s line click open.  “Say again, Four?”

Scott shook his head, reassessing the scene.  “Copy that, Four,” he snapped, eyes darting from display to display.  “But we’ve not got a lot of play here.”

“Gimme a time frame.”

“Three minutes thirty.”

Gordon’s voice changed, as if he was physically leaning into the controls.  “Copy that.  Gimme a three minute warning, otherwise let me focus.  This is gonna be tight.”

Scott’s earpiece clicked, a private line.  “Three minutes thirty is generous,” John said, level and calm.  “You sure?”

Scott nodded, trying to ignore the beating of his heart, the tightness of his breath as he watched his baby brother ride the catastrophe curve.  “I trust him.  Let him try.  Just…John?”

“Already on it, Thunderbird One.”  In the corner of Scott’s display, a count-down timer appeared.

Scott watched the seconds tick down and tried to remember to breathe.


End file.
